Ganesha : Eight Avatars of Lord Ganesh

LORD GANESHA

    Lord Ganesh or Lord Ganesha is one of the  most  worshipped Deities across india .He is the remover of sorrows, remover of obstacles and giver of wisdom. Lord Ganesha removes all obstacles, hence he is also called Vighan Harta.

      Lord Ganesh is son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.Lord Ganesha .At the behest of her friends Jaya and Vijaya, the mother had created a Gana from her scum.

    He has two wife's named as Riddhi (prosperity) and Siddhi (spiritual power).Lord Ganesha has head of a elephant and body of a human. Lord Ganesh is worshipped by different names like Ganpati, Viganharta, Lombodara, Vinayaka etc. by their devotees.    

      Like Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati has taken several avatars, Lord Ganesha has also taken avatars to destroy eight evils like Kam, Krodh, Mad, Lobh, Matsar, Moh, Ahankar and Agyan which are common in all peoples. So there are eight avatars or incarnations which were taken by Lord Ganesha which are as follows :

1. Vakratunda :

   In this avatar Lord Ganesh killed the sons of Demon Matsrasura.He( matsrasura ) was a devotee of Lord Shiva and did penance he got boon of "becaming fearless".

    And on advice of Guru Shukaracharya, Demon Matsrasura and his  two sons  started killing and torturing of the peoples and Gods. But on prayer of Deities. Lord Ganesh in form of Vakartunda [ curved trunk ] killed sons of Demon Matsrasura and also defeated Matsrasura.

2. Ekdanta :

    Second Avatar of Lord Ganesh is Ekdanta. In this avatar, Lord Ganesh killed the Demon Madasura. Madasura was created Maharishi Chavan. He got asuric knowledge and advice from Guru Shukracharya and became enemy of dieties. He became a big problem for Gods, so gods prayed to Lord Ganesha. And in form of Ekdanta, Lord Ganesh appeared and he killed the Demon Madasura.

3. Mahodara :

   Third Avatar of Lord Ganesh is Mahodara. In this avatar, Lord Ganesh punished Demon Mohasura, the demon of confusion.  

  When Demon king Tarkasura was killed by Lord Kartikeya ( elder son of Lord Shiva ), then Guru Shukracharya ( Guru of Demons ) made Demon Mohasura to stood in front of Gods. Terrified Gods prayed to Lord Ganesh and Lord Ganesh in form of Mahodara got ready to fight Demon Mohasura. But when Lord Ganesha reached to fight at his place, Demon Mohasura surrendered and became a devotee of Lord Ganesha.

4. Gajanana :

   Fourth Avatar of Lord Ganesh is Gajanana. In this avatar, Lord Ganesh punished Lobhasura, the demon of greed.

  Demon Lobhasura was manifested from fear of Kuber Dev [ god of wealth ]. Lobhasura under guidance of Guru Shukracharya , became king of all three worlds. Due to which Gods prayed to Lord Ganesh to seek help against tyranny of Demon. Lord Ganesh assured to punish the demon. To see Lord Ganesh in form of Gajanana, Demon Lobhasura filled with guilt and begged for forgiveness.

5. Lambodara :

  Fifth avatar of Lord Ganesh is Lambodara. In this avatar lord Ganesh punished Demon Krodhasura, demon of anger.

  Demon Krodhasura was manifested from the anger of Lord Shiva. Krodhasura did penance of Surya Dev ( Sun god ) and became powerful .Like other Demons, he also started creating chaos and havoc in whole world. To stop Krodhasura, Lord Ganesh taken the form of Lambodara and he stopped stopped Demon Krodhasura.

6. Vikata :

   
     Sixth Avatar of Lord Ganesh is Vikata. In this avatar,Lord Ganesha defeated Demon Kamasura- demon of Lust.

   Demon Kamasura was manifested from Lord Vishnu and Vrinda. Kamasura on advice of Guru Shukracharya did penance of Lord Shiva and become powerful, and he conquered all three worlds and created trouble for gods. Then on prayer of gods Lord Ganesh appeared in form of Vikata, atop a peacock. Lord Ganesh easily defeated kamasura.

7. Vighanraja :

   Seventh avatar of Lord Ganesh is Vighanraja. In this avatar, Lord Ganesha in form of Vighanraja defeated Mamasura.
  Once goddess Parvati was sitting and laughing with her friends and from her laughing a man was emerged,who was named as ' mama ' by goddess Parvati.Mama on advice of Goddess Parvati, went to forest . 

     In forest he met Demon sambara and he slowly made mind of Mama as demon mind. Mama  started doing penance of Lord Ganesha and in boon he got all three worlds and he started his tyranny on peoples and gods. Then gods prayed to Lord Ganesh and lord ganesh in form of Vighanraja- remover of obstacles , went to mamasura and defeated him.

8. Dhumravarna :

      Eighth avatar of Lord Ganesh is Dhumravarna. In this avatar, Lord Ganesha in form of Dhumravarna defeated Ahamasura.

   Ahamkarasura- demon of ego, was manifested from the sneeze of Sun god, who was in his ego when he sneezed. This demon Ahamkarasura went to Guru Shukracharya and on advice of his guru, he did penance of Lord Ganesha and got boon of becaming powerful.His ego became more powerful and he started terrifying gods. So they went to Lord Ganesha to seek help.

     Lord ganesha on prayer of gods manifested as Dhumravarna and defeated the demon of ego- Ahamkarasura.

● It is believed that who worship's Lord Ganesha, he or she stays away from all these evils.

                 || GANPATI BAPPA MORYA ||

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